Susie Reams
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The Lloyd Railroad station was built in 1858 by the Pensacola and Georgia Railroad, prior to the American Civil War.
At its construction, the Lloyd Railroad station also served the Seaboard Coast Line, so it was sometimes referred to as the Seaboard Coast Line Depot Lloyd.
Lloyd's brick station is only one of three Civil War railroad depots that are still in existence and is the oldest brick station in the state of Florida. The station gives Lloyd and its community a historical landmark.
Lloyd was a popular town in the past during the American Civil War and all the way back to the 1500’s, when Hernando De Soto passed through and left behind him some of Florida's first roads.
It was destined to remain a well-known spot in Jefferson County due to the construction of Interstate 10 nearby.
A little before the Seminole War, everyone used the Aucilla River and Wacissa River to travel and transport supplies, as it was the easiest mode of transportation. But, that all changed when there was a railroad built in Lloyd. This caught the eyes of those in the area, and the railroad quickly became the primary way that people would use for the transportation of their goods.
Thanks to the railroad, Jefferson County grew in popularity, making it one of the largest settlements during the Civil War.
The railroad traveled from Lake City to Tallahassee. The Lloyd Depot was used for transportation, as well as the shipping of cotton, goods and manufactured items from Monticello’s factories.
During the Civil War, the railroad also helped transport injured Confederate soldiers and officials and war materials. Prior to being transported through the railway, the patients were doctored by the women of Jefferson County in makeshift hospitals and out of all the patients, only two passed away and were buried in a nearby family cemetery.
The service of Lloyd's depot was discontinued in 1966, and the historical preservation of the depot became endangered when the station was threatened with demolishment.
Luckily, the Jefferson County Historical Association stepped in, managing to preserve and save the station before the depot could be demolished. A couple of years later, the care and upkeep of the station was transferred to the Gulf Wind Chapter for preservation.
In 1979, the Gulf Wind Chapter completed the basic exterior repairs and remodeled the two waiting rooms and the stationmaster’s office into buildings that would be used for the Lloyd Post Office. Later on, the depot’s freight room had been set up with updated electrical and plumbing, including a restroom. When the remodeling was finished, the freight area had a display case of various railroad artifacts from when it was still open. While the artifacts are on display, the room that serves as a part-time museum is also used for community meetings conducted by citizens of Lloyd.
Today, the Lloyd Depot still serves as the U.S. Post Office for the town and is always open for visitors to come take look at the historical landmark.
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